Method and device for finding and tracking pairs of eyes

Abstract

A method for finding and subsequently tracking the 3-D coordinates of a pair of eyes in at least one face, including receiving image data, which contains a sequence of at least one digital video signal of at least one image sensor, finding eyes or tracking previously found eyes in the image data, ascertaining the 3-D coordinates of the found or tracked eyes, associating the found or tracked eyes with a pair of eyes and providing the 3-D coordinates of the pair of eyes.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the priority of PCT / EP2008 / 065352, filed on Nov. 12, 2008, which claims priority to German Application No. 10 2007 056528.5, filed Nov. 16, 2007, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated in total by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to a contactless method for finding and subsequent tracking of the 3D coordinates of a pair of eyes in at least one face in real time.[0003]In contrast for example to contact methods, contactless methods for finding and tracking faces do not require any additional means, such as head-mounted cameras or spots. The advantage of these contactless methods is that the freedom of movement of the subjects to be tracked is not restricted in any way by physical means and that the subjects are not bothered by the use of such means.[0004]Contactless detection and tracking methods are known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,100 B1 and EP 0 350 ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a method for finding and tracking the eye positions of one or multiple faces in real-time within a large detection and tracking range with low computational load. The method allows for the efficient and precise finding of at least one eye, and the determination of its 3D coordinates. Pairs of eyes can then be identified and tracked based on distance or using known face-eye models, allowing for subsequent tracking of a once identified face with reduced data requirements. Despite the eyes or face moving at high speed or in a large range, this method allows for the tracking of pairs of eyes in real-time.

Problems solved by technology

A temporally non-coincident image recording in conjunction with a superposition of the images by the interlaced scanning method, which serves to reduce the amount of image data for transmission, does not allow a reliable detection and tracking of the eyes in real time.

On the other hand, this method only allows to detect and to track eyes which are spatially very close to the image sensor, because the effects caused by the active illumination diminish as the distance of the eyes to the illumination source grows, which leads to the effect that the eyes to be detected can no longer be distinguished from other objects or a noise in the differential image.

However, WO2007 / 019842 does not explain how the eyes are found and tracked.

The methods known in the prior art further exhibit the problem that the position information of the eyes cannot be delivered in real time, in particular not where more than one face is to be identified and tracked.

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